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Employment Drug Screening Handbook to know the Basics of Drug Screening
This employment drug screening handbook will let you in on the basic things you need to know about employment drug screening. This employment drug screening handbook is helpful for companies who would like to start a drug screening program for their employees and would be employees.
The first thing that will be covered in this employment drug screening handbook is how drug tests are conducted. Drug tests or exams are done in two ways. These are as follows:
• Employees can be sent to the certified laboratory to provide their urine sample. The results can be provided within 24 hours. If tested positive, the urine sample can be retested and analyzed. Reports will include what drugs were found.
• Companies can purchase instant test kits in the market and conduct the test in their offices. These are cheaper than laboratory tests but just as accurate. However, when results are positive, the urine sample cannot be retained for laboratory confirmation. Employees should then be sent to a laboratory for another testing.
Next information in this employment drug screening handbook is about the drugs that are tested. Employers would usually ask the employees to be tested against the 5 common street drugs. These are as follows.
• Amphetamines and methamphetamine
• Opiates like codeine and morphine
• PCP
• Cocaine
• Marijuana or THC
On the other hand, some companies require a ten-panel test. These may include legal prescription drugs like valiums. Some even test for alcohol. Drug retention may differ depending on the weight of the person among other conditions. However, in general, most drugs can stay in the person’s system for around 2 to 4 days. However, some drugs like PCP and marijuana can stay for 14 days or longer. Sedatives like valiums will stay up to 30 days. However, there are more expensive drug testing methods that can detect drugs for a 90-day period. An example would be a hair testing method.
Although drug abusers try different ways to either avoid being tested or alter urine samples, laboratories have ways to determine such. First, companies would require the employees to provide the sample in a certain period of time. This will prevent employees who are trying to delay to enable the drugs to leave the system. Some results may show up to be negative but show abnormalities in the result and laboratories can check if samples were altered.
Companies are now requiring drug screening test for employment. This is a cost effective way to manage employees. The influence of drugs in the workplace may lead to several accidents that can cause companies lost money and time. With just around 50 to 70 dollars on drug tests, companies can save thousands or even millions of dollars in lost time, health care, accidents, and compensation costs. Know that drug abuse can cause absenteeism, tardiness, theft, decreased productivity, and even crime and violence. The best way to prevent such from happening is to conduct drug tests from time to time.
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